Vodka and Whiskey
by bluegoldrose
Summary: The first time he sees her, dim light of the bar shining softly on her, he cannot look away. AU, if Ivan lived and Rose was sent away from Lissa. Years later, Dimitri and Rose meet.
1. Chapter 1

The first time he sees her, dim light of the bar shining softly on her, he cannot look away. She is seated at the bar, nursing a glass of amber liquid, face unreadable. He knows that she's a dhampir, but is also well aware that she isn't a guardian. He glances at her neck when he reaches the bar. No bites, she isn't a blood whore.

"Everyone does that." Her high alto voice is darkly amused.

She was trained to be a guardian, he realizes. He hadn't seen her eyes move, and he knows that his assessment was subtle. "Does what?"

She looks at him, sips her liquor, and considers him. "They look at my neck, wondering if I'm a blood whore or not. Most are Moroi men, of course."

"I'm sure." He keeps his tone neutral, still assessing the young woman.

She laughs, then finishes her drink. With the same motion, she beckons for a refill. The bartender pours whiskey for her. He takes Dimitri's order next, and a moment later gives him vodka.

The woman tilts her glass to him, taking a sip. He mirrors the action, taking the seat beside her. "So," he begins. "Who are you?"

"Rose. You?"

"Dimitri Belikov."

She nods, considering. "I've heard of you. They say you're quite the guardian."

He shrugs. "I do what I need to do to stay alive."

Another laugh escapes her lips as she sips her drink. "Don't we all."

"What brings you to court? You're not a guardian."

She frowns at his observation. "No, I'm not. I'm here to visit some friends, and my mom."

"Your mother lives here?"

A strange expression crosses her face. "For now. She is my friend's guardian, and they live here most of the time."

He nods. "So your mother is a guardian, but you aren't?"

A dark laugh. Another sip of whiskey. "Yes. I was going to be… but I'm not. I have a good job though, for what it's worth. Still…" She sighs, finishing the drink and motioning for a refill.

Taking a swallow, she looks steadily at him. There is pain hiding in the depths of her eyes, and anger. "Have you ever done something you knew was right but everything that came from it sucked?"

He finishes his own drink with a bitter laugh. "Of course."

She gives him a wry smile as his drink is refiled. "But you didn't get kicked out of school for your choices."

He assesses her. Assesses her words. Realizes who she is. "What's your last name?"

She laughs sipping the whiskey. "Hathaway or Mazur, depending on my mood."

"I've heard of you."

She shrugs, tossing her long dark hair over one shoulder. "Everyone has, but none of them know me. No one bothers."

Head cocked to the side, he studies her. He studies the way she holds herself, the way her dark eyes flash with emotion. "I'll listen, if you'll tell me."

She flashes him a genuine smile, slipping off her stool with a graceful movement. Drink full, she beckons him to follow her. He follows. His eyes travel the length of her body as she walks, tracing her curves. She is entrancing to watch.

They sit on a couch in the corner of the bar. He wonders briefly if the seat is clean, but pushes the thought away. When in a bar, it's better not to think about the furniture.

She tells him her story, and he listens. She and the Dragomir Princess ran away from school at fifteen, lived on the run for two years, and were returned to school at seventeen. While Vasilisa was kept at the Academy, Rose was not. She was sent to live with her father, whom she had never met before.

He hired the best trainers and tutors money could buy, but she never stopped worrying about Vasilisa. The girls, now young women, share a psychic bond, which enabled Rose to see and feel everything the Princess endured at school.

She tells him about Victor Dashkov, who was killed a day after kidnapping the princess. Rose had called the school with frantic pleas for them to save Lissa. It took them hours, and discovering the wounded Lord Christian Ozera, to believe her. In that time, Lissa was tortured. Rose doesn't forgive the school. She believes that she should have been there.

Afterward, Rose's mother was reassigned to Lissa. Rose was briefly reunited with her friend that Christmas, but they were forced apart again after the holiday break.

She talks about the attack on St. Vladimir's. She saw it through her bond with the princess, but could do nothing at all to help. Many died, including some of Rose's close friends.

"I should have been there to fight back," she hisses, draining her glass. "She shouldn't have been alone."

"Didn't you say that she had Christian Ozera and Adrian Ivashkov to help her through everything?"

She shrugs. "Yeah, and she still does, but I was supposed to be her protector, and they forced us apart. I could have protected her faster."

He nods. "Yes, I think you would have."

"So comrade, what's your story?"

"Comrade?"

She giggles. "You're Russian aren't you?"

He laughs, taking a sip of his vodka. He tells her about his life. He tells her about his family and friends. He tells her about Ivan Zeklos, the Moroi he guards.

Afterward, she tells him about the work she does now. He listens, fascinated by her life. She has travelled much of the world, working on somewhat questionable business deals with Moroi, dhampirs, and Alchemists. Her father is as infamous as her mother is famous, and she benefits from both of their positions.

"Why are you here tonight?" He asks after a few more drinks.

"Lissa just had her first baby last month. I just met her. She's beautiful…" Her voice trails off, anger and sadness mixing together.

"You wish that you had been here?"

"Yeah."

"Why were you away?"

"Because, as much as she and I want to be in each other's lives, we have our own lives now. We still see each other. We still hang out. We still care. But… we're both twenty-two now. She's married, a mom, and a leader on the Moroi council. I work on shady business deals throughout our world. We aren't the same people any more."

He understands that feeling. "I feel that way whenever I return home. I love my sisters, their kids, my mom, and grandmother, but I don't feel part of it anymore."

She nods. "Why are you here tonight."

He shrugs. "I wanted to get away for a bit. I stayed because I enjoyed the conversation."

"Me too."

They smile at each other.

She yawns, reluctantly checking her watch. "Time to go, I think."

Checking his own watch, he agrees. They stand, walking on somewhat wobbly feet to the bar. She hands the bartender two hundred dollar bills. "That should cover both our bills, and you can keep the change."

"Thank you miss," the bartender says.

She smiles and winks at him. "Any time."

Stunned, Dimitri walks with her to the door. "You didn't have to pay for me."

She laughs. "Pay for me next time."

He smiles as she looks at him. "Alright, I will. Can I walk you back to where you are staying?"

"Such a gentleman," she teases. "I'd love the company."

They walk across court to the permanent residences. She stops in front of one of the larger houses, ready to go inside. "Can I see your phone?"

His look of confusion is met by a laugh. "So I can enter my number."

He complies, handing her his cellphone. She types in the phone, dialing a number. The phone in her own pocket rings as she holds his phone. She hands his back a moment later, ending the call.

"Now we have one another's numbers." She hesitates. "Would you like to come in?"

"I would," he says, regret in his voice, "but I have to wake up fairly early tomorrow. I could see you after my shift, if you want."

"I'd like that." Her smile is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.

He thinks that she will just go inside, but instead, she hugs him. He returns the embrace, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. Tilting her head up, she reaches for him. Unthinking, he bends to her, following her lead. Her lips are soft, and she tastes like whiskey.

They pull apart, breathless.

"See you tomorrow comrade," she says with a laugh.

"See you then," he agrees.

As she disappears into the house, he wonders where this will lead.

* * *

 ** _AN:_** _I have vague notions of continuing this, but it's intended as a one-shot. If I do continue, it won't be for a long time. Hope you liked it!_


	2. Chapter 2

**_AN:_** _I have never had so many comments on a single chapter before! Thank you all so much! This chapter came faster than anticipated because I had the scenes at the party in my head already. Maybe one more chapter, who knows. Also, I've never written a story in present tense before this one O_O_

 _Enjoy dears!_

* * *

The next day they meet at her house. She shows him around with a casual air. She is wealthy, which explains her ability to spend two hundred dollars on an evening of vodka and whiskey. Still, she seems not to care about the money.

They leave after an hour of conversation, heading across court to an out of the way restaurant. She doesn't drink, so he chooses not to either. They spend dinner talking and laughing. There is an easy rhythm to their conversation, as if they have known one another for years.

They have drinks at her house afterward, still absorbed in conversation.

"Why do you only drink whiskey?"

She is filling her glass for the second time. She grins at him. "Why do you only drink vodka?"

He shrugs. "I like the taste."

"Well, there's your answer." Her voice is almost a purr as she curls onto the corner of the sofa.

"Fair enough. How long will you be at court?"

She shrugs. "As long as I want. I might stay a few months. You?"

"Whenever my charge leaves. He's planning to be here for at least the next month."

She frowns, sipping at her drink.

"What's wrong?"

She sighs, tossing her hair back. "I'm enjoying getting to know you."

"We can stay in contact after I leave." He realizes that he doesn't want to lose this new connection. She fascinates him.

"Everyone says that."

"I'm not everyone."

She smiles. "No, you aren't."

They meet again the next day, this time at the track to go for a run. Her hair is pulled up, allowing him to see the back of her neck for the first time. Though she is not a guardian, she still has molnija marks for Strigoi kills, as is customary among all dhampirs. He is stunned by the number of marks on her neck. At almost thirty, Dimitri bears 12 marks. He can't count at a glance how many she has killed, but the number is higher than his own.

"Admiring my marks?" She asks with a wry grin.

"Yes, actually. It's an impressive number."

She shrugs. "We do what we have to in order to stay alive."

He nods, somewhat amused by her using his own words from the other day. They run together for an hour, circling the course, then following the trails around court. She is fast, and the time they spend on the trails passes far too quickly.

They spend the next two weeks meeting up nearly every day. They talk, they laugh, and they learn about each other. They haven't kissed again, not since that first meeting. He wonders why, but never brings it up.

The second week ends with a party hosted by a Drozdov Lord. Dimitri attends as a guardian on duty. Ivan Zeklos and his wife Irina are there. Rose attends as a guest, the only dhampir guest in the room.

It is the first time he sees her wear a dress. He has always though her beautiful, but the moment he sees her, his heart skips a beat. Her dress is red, cut low in the back, high in the front, and ending mid-calf. It clings to her from top to waist, then flares out a bit so that it swirls when she moves. She wears her hair up in a French twist, letting everyone see the marks of her skills. The overall look is very suggestive in this crowd. He wonders what game she is playing.

He watches her throughout the night, for the first time seeing her interact with a large number of people. The time they have spent together has mostly been without any company. The only times they have had other company has been at the gym.

She is different here, among the elite of Moroi society. Here she is everything and nothing. She is a chameleon. To one person she gives a genuine smile and to another a smile of polite indifference, though to the casual observer there is no difference in her expression.

At the start of the meal she sits between her father and Vasilisa Dragomir. She is happy with them, alive. They laugh together, easily and often.

After the meal, Rose walks with her father as the guests mingle. Dimitri figures out Rose's dress choice fairly quickly now. She serves as a distraction while her father works on what Dimitri assumes are business deals. She flirts and smiles, then leaves them to her father's mercy.

She eventually leaves him for the bar, choosing to talk to Lord Christian Ozera, Vasilisa's husband. The two have an easy rapport, obviously playful to everyone in the room. They are two misfits, bound together by the Dragomirs.

Dimitri sees the change in her when Lord Adrian Ivashkov talks to her. She stiffens, like most people do when near a former friend... or former lover. Christian changes too, his posture becoming protective of Rose. Dimitri knows that Adrian is friends with Vasilisa and Christian, but he doesn't know anything about the nature of the relationship between Rose and Adrian. From what he can see, it is uncomfortable.

Christian and Rose both relax when Adrian moves away. With what appears to be a sigh of resignation, Christian eventually leaves Rose alone as he joins his wife in the crowds.

Rose seems adrift without her friends, if only for a moment. She finishes her drink quickly, then takes a new drink.

Dimitri realizes, as he watches her, that she had been drinking less and less the more time they spent together. Now, she is drinking as much as she had been when they first met.

She sighs, making her way from the bar into the crowds. Men watch her, their eyes traveling the length of her body. To Dimitri's surprise, he feels jealous at the looks the men give her. Why should he feel jealous? They are still only the barest of friends... and yet...

"She likes you."

Dimitri looks down, seeing Janine Hathaway to his right. He knew that she was at the dinner. He hadn't noticed her appearance beside him.

"I know," he replies. There is no point in denying the obvious. He looks at Rose's mother, seeing the lines of worry on her face.

"Do you like her?"

He can't suppress his smile. "She's an incredible young woman, of course I like her."

Her smile is faint. "People have noticed the two of you spending time together lately."

"We enjoy talking together." He hesitates, wanting to know more about this young woman he is getting to know. "She doesn't have many friends, does she?"

"No." She shakes her head. "She doesn't."

"Why isn't she a guardian? She has more marks than most guardians ever get."

Her lips twist bitterly. "They asked her to join when she was twenty, over two years after she was denied re-entry into the academies. She already had ten kills by that time. She looked at the heads of the council, laughed, and called them some very choice words."

He smiles. "You sound proud of her."

She smiles too. "I am. She deserved more than the life of a guardian. She had enough self-respect to tell the people who hurt her exactly what she thought of them when they decided she was useful." She sighs, watching Rose laugh and flirt with a group of Moroi men.

"She isn't happy at court," he observes. He feels an overwhelming urge to kiss Rose here and now, hating the looks the Moroi men give her.

"She is seldom happy. She comes here because Lissa and Christian are here, she doesn't have any other long term friends."

"None of the novices she went to school with were her friends?" He finds that hard to believe.

She grimaces. "Her two closest novice friends were killed when Strigoi attacked the academy." Janine watches her daughter. He can see the heartache in her eyes. "Be careful with her Belikov, she has been hurt a lot."

Their gazes meet for a few moments. He nods. "I will."

She gives a crisp nod, and then walks away.

Dimitri watches Janine melt into the crowd before returning his attention to Rose. She is fawned over by Moroi men. She is considered with cool indifference by the guardians. The Moroi women tend to avoid Rose. For her part, she seems not to care. To Dimitri's surprise, Irina approaches Rose.

Rose is guarded at first, but warms up quickly to Irina. They glance in his direction, smiling. He nods in acknowledgement, wondering why one of his charges is talking to Rose.

"Is my wife distracting you?"

Dimitri flinches, startled by Ivan's appearance.

"Or is it the pretty dhampir who is so captivating?"

"When did you become so nosy?"

Ivan shrugs. "When you became my guardian. How long has it been since you had a girlfriend?"

Gritting his teeth, Dimitri answers. "A while."

"So… what's holding you back now?"

"This isn't the place for that conversation."

Ivan, to Dimitri's surprise, considers the statement for a few minutes before sighing in agreement. "You're right. Still, you know Irina and I would accommodate you."

Dimitri makes a noncommittal sound of acknowledgement.

"People have noticed the two of you around court lately. Rumor has it that you smile and laugh together."

Arching an eyebrow, Dimitri looks at Ivan. "Your point?"

Ivan smiles. "Don't let go of the ones who make you happy." He walks away, leaving Dimitri to consider his words.

* * *

Dimitri finds Rose leaning against the wall of the building after the party ends. Her red high-heeled shoes are in one hand. She has unpinned her hair, letting it flow around her shoulders. Face tilted toward the rising sun, she seems utterly at ease.

"Waiting for me?"

Her lips curl into a soft smile. "Yes."

"You look beautiful in that dress."

She looks at him. "Thank you. Are you done for the day?"

"Yes."

She smiles. "Walk me home?"

"Of course. Don't you want to put your shoes back on?"

"Not on your life," she snorts. "Heels are the worst and best invention ever made."

"Oh?"

She takes a few steps, swinging the shoes in her hand by the heel straps. "They are sexy, cute, and move the body to show off everything at just the right angles, but they hurt."

He laughs, following her stride toward her house. "True. I think you drew the most attention in the room."

"Mmhm."

"But you hate them."

Her lips twitch. "Not hate, but I don't like most of them either. I told you before, no one bothers getting to know me. The Moroi women assume I'm going to sleep with their husbands. Ignoring the fact that if he's going to cheat, he'll do it without my help. The men mostly assume the same." She sighs.

"Why attend these parties then?"

"Business, and to show off."

"Show off?"

Her hand went to the back of her neck. She was very solemn. "I had ten before I was twenty. The other fifteen I got in the past two years. I'm not proud of the killing, but it is necessary. At parties like that I show my marks so they can see."

He reaches for her, moving so that they are face to face rather than side by side. Her eyes are wet with unshed tears. She tries to look away, but he cups her cheek with one hand while his other holds her arm.

"They deserve to see you. What happened to you was wrong."

She relaxes against his hand. "Thank you."

He draws her to his chest, feeling her tension lessen against him. He rubs her shoulders, comforting her. He understands her anger and the anger of her mother.

They let go a minute later. She turns, wiping her eyes so that she seems tougher than she truly is. She seems happier when she looks up at him. "Do you know the guardians tried to ask me to join?"

"Your mother mentioned it tonight. She said that you told them where they could shove that offer."

She laughs. "I did. They don't even bother talking to me anymore. Most guardians don't know what to think of me." She looks at him as they walk. "Irina is very nice."

"She is," he agrees.

"She seems to think we like one another."

They smile at one another, amused. "Your mother mentioned a similar idea."

"Mmm."

They slow to a stop in the shade of a large maple tree. They are alone.

"Where do you want this to go?" He motions between them so that she understands what he means by "this".

She shrugs. "I try to avoid planning anything."

He smiles at the deflection, moving a bit closer to her. "I asked what you want. I didn't ask what you plan."

He sees in her eyes what she wants and what she fears. He remembers what her mother said, that Rose has been hurt before. Rose's own words, that no one bothers to know her, keep ringing in his ears.

"I don't know," she admits, "but I enjoy spending time with you and don't want to stop."

He puts his hands on her waist. "I want that too."

Her smile is all the encouragement he needs to bend to her lips. Her kiss is soft and welcoming. She isn't shy as she presses herself close to him, hand twining in his hair. When their kiss ends, they rest their foreheads together. He knows that no matter what, they will try to make it work.


	3. Chapter 3

The first three years are the hardest. Balancing jobs, personal obligations, and global travel are only the tip of the iceberg. Spending a month apart is common. Even so, it isn't the distance or scheduling that proves the most difficult.

Rose doesn't know how to trust. Neither Rose nor Dimitri know how to open up to another person. They try to make the relationship work and fail more than once.

The first time they break up, it's her. She leaves in the middle of the night and takes a plane to the other side of the world. She doesn't say why. She just sends a text saying that it's too much.

For Rose, dating relationships have never been easy. None worked out. The longest relationship was with Adrian Ivashkov, which ended horribly. The rest were just a string of short lived flings with Moroi and dhampir men who didn't understand her. She doesn't even know how to have healthy friendships or family relationships. So, when Dimitri begins to get inside the walls of her heart, she gets scared and runs away.

Their friends push them back together. Lissa, Christian, and Ivan would take all the credit (individually) if asked. In truth, it is a group effort, which includes Rose and Dimitri's families. They force Rose and Dimitri into the same room and lock them inside.

The pair refuses to share the details of that meeting, but they were dating again by the end of that week.

The second time they break up, it's him. He can't handle her drinking. He knew, in the back of his mind, that it was an issue from the beginning. But, like most people falling in love, he thought he could fix her.

For Dimitri, her behavior starts to remind him too much of his father. She isn't abusive. She doesn't hit or throw anything. It's the fact that more often than not, when she is within wards, she is drinking.

A few months later, after an intervention and rehab, they begin their relationship again.

The next years are easier. They don't break up. They manage their schedules. They discuss their fears. They learn to trust.

* * *

"Stop fidgeting!"

Rose freezes, then glares at Lissa. "Did you really have to use compulsion?"

Lissa shrugs, guiltily. "Sorry." She runs the brush through Rose's hair. "You're just constantly moving and I want your hair to look right."

Rose smiles, though she is still fidgeting anxiously. "I know. I just… what if this is the wrong thing?"

Lissa sets down the brush and sighs. Stepping around the chair where Rose is sitting, she kneels and takes Rose's hands. "After everything you have been through, do you really want to run away again?"

Rose shakes her head. "No."

Lissa squeezes her hands. "Then take a deep breath, and let me finish getting you ready."

Rose does as she is told.

* * *

In another room, Dimitri is pacing. Tired of watching, Ivan snaps. "Would you stand still."

"Huh? Oh. I was just thinking."

"So I gathered. What are you thinking?"

"Is this a good idea?"

Ivan snorts, amused. "Dimka, you should have thought of that eight years ago. Or given up somewhere along the way. This idea was yours and hers." He smiles. "And it's a good idea…. Which you already know."

Dimitri nods, smiling a little. "It's just so hard to believe."

Rolling his eyes, Ivan laughs. "Really? Hard to believe passed long ago. You started dating Rose shortly after Lissa and Christian's eldest daughter was born. Rhea is eight now. Why you're nervous is beyond me."

"It's a big step."

"Not really. You're just celebrating in public the relationship that you've been in for years, and signing a paper."

"I'll be sure to tell Irina your opinion of marriage."

He shrugs, amused. "Marriage is more than the ceremony and the paper. Marriage is the commitment to another person no matter what. It's hard work. The two of you have made it through eight years worth of trials, and both decided to make a public commitment to one another."

"We broke up twice."

"And then worked it out. You haven't broken up in ages. You barely fight anymore. And you both light up when you are around one another. You wouldn't be here today if you weren't sure."

Dimitri's half smile is confirmation of Ivan's words. "I guess you're right. I was just wondering if she would run away again."

"Nah, she's too invested to do that again."

A few minutes later, there is a knock at the door. Christian is grinning when he enters. "They are finally ready."

* * *

Dimitri is convinced that Rose is the most beautiful woman in the world. All of his worries vanish as he sees her enter the chapel on her father's arm. She is radiant.

He no longer sees their friends and family who fill the rows of the chapel. He only sees her, and the way she looks at him as their eyes meet.

The words of the priest seem too long. The vows Dimitri and Rose say barely register in Dimitri's mind as they says them. He doesn't see the joy of Lissa and Irina as they stand behind Rose.

He only sees her and the love in her eyes.

* * *

Rose stares at the ring she wears. For a moment, she is alone at the reception. It is a symbol of their love and promises. He hasn't given up on her, and she knows he never will.

She can hear the laughter of their friends and guests. Children are playing a game on the dancefloor. They are Dimitri's nieces and nephews, Lissa and Christian's daughters and sons, and Ivan and Irina's sons. Rose loves them all- her family and friends. She loves this life that has been forged with Dimitri, her husband.

"You're so beautiful," he says.

She smiles. "You should thank Lissa for the hair. It took hours."

"I will. It looks incredible."

With a very light touch, Rose traces the intricate braids Lissa wove in her hair. The braids wrap around her head like a crown and are laced with white roses. Half of her hair hangs loose around her shoulders.

"Can you believe that she actually got me to wear roses?"

He laughs. "Did she threaten you?"

"Coerced." She stands, leaning into him with a contented sigh. "Today is perfect."

He wraps his arms around her. "It is."

* * *

 _And they lived happily ever after._

 _The End_

 _AN: I'm not as happy with this chapter as I am with the previous two, but there were demanding readers. :) Thank you all._


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